Janette Priestley

Isn't it funny how over the years many buildings change, but on the other hand, some things stay exactly the same, I had some friends who lived in the fire station houses, and went to many open days, and tours of this fire station, it looks exactly the same to this day, dont change it !!!!!!!!

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Greg Oehm

This image was something to see. I have never seen the whole building, but my mother recognised it straight away. She remembers it well - as a little girl she recalls walking through the main doors around 1943. My grandfather was a Leading Fireman with the Auxiliary Fire Service during the Second World War. Gipton was his home station. We have a photo of my grandfather, his crewmates and the Station Officer on their appliance taken around 1940. The photo we have is taken outside the two garage doors on the right hand side. It's nice to see that the building, even from the scrap we can see in our photo, was still the same in 1964 (the year I was born). This was the first image we looked at on the site - many thanks for a wonderful web-site. Greg Oehm. Robertson NSW Australia

greg.oehm@optusnet.com.au

michael mcguinness

When I had my own drain company we had the contract to clean the drains, not only at this station but the whole of the Leeds area. I can remember doing the drains round the back when they were practicing.

michael_1938@live.co.uk

laura

the fire statiion dosent look to have changed.. has i live near there now

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Malcolm Squires.

In 1965 I did my 13 weeks basic training at Gipton which involved daily drills in the drill yard and classroom work in the buildings to the left of the main building (just out of view)which I believe were originally for police use. Each day commenced with a parade followed by 1 hour's squad drill. I believe the training school was known as Leeds Collective Training Centre and it trained recruits from several Local Authorities like Bradford Dewsbury ect. Two instructor names spring to mind, "Chalky" White and Harry Hosty who used to strike fear into the recruits. Looking back, it set me up for life and would do it all again. After passsing out was posted to Bramley, (Western)and two years later transfered to Norfolk where I completed my 30 service.

30-Nov-2010

malcolmsquires05@btinternet.com

Neil Ward

I lived in one of the Fire Station houses from 1961-1966 rode my bike round the parade ground and learned to play snooker in the mess. Happy days!

14-Apr-2011

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Helen Wilson

Harry Hosty was my Grandfather, my other Grandfather Ronnie Mackrill told me what a bristle he could be! Unfortunately Harry died in 1997 after a long battle with cancer. My Father Alan Mackrill who married my Mother Jane Mackrill (formerley known as Jane Hosty) recently retired from the Fire Service in Cumbria and he started in the Leeds Bradford area. Apparently Harry helped him "sharpen his pencil" lol. It's good to see the comments and read about people's different experiences. Helen :)

30-May-2011

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Patricia Smith

My late Father, Arthur Moss, was a fireman at Gipton late 1940s/early 1950s after completing his training at Park Street. As a young girl I remember waving him off to work on his bicycle wearing his uniform which included a peaked cap.

11-Oct-2011

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s.cohen.

Sept 2011-Proposal:The construction of a new fire station to replace Gipton.Gipton is classed as a very high risk area,the new firestation would be in Killingbeck with two fire appliances and lower running costs.

11-Oct-2011

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Brian Hields

After the war in 1946 the Hields family moved from Leeds City Fire station to live in the Fernvilles only to return again to live at another station in 1949, No 12 Gipton Fire Station. My father, Harry Hields was the transport engineer looking after Leeds Fire engine maintenance at Gipton workshops until his retirement. Our neighbours at Gipton included the French, Brindley, Mallinson families. As children of fireman, we all played together around the station grounds, inside some old huts and occassionally inside the main station where for staff recreation table tennis, billiards and darts were provided, we also slid sliding down the poles when no one was looking. We knew most of the firemen shown in the photograph taken outside the Fire Station in Park Street in the City Centre, (Leodis image ID: 2012514_173532) because all fire engines regularly came to Gipton for repair, however I regret at my age I cannot recall many names. In the fifties we moved away again to another house in the Fernvilles but I always kept in touch with Fire station news and gossip passed on to me by my father who still worked at Gipton even though maintenance duties had been passed over to Berkenshaw station, he eventually retired in 1975 and died in 1981. One memorable event was the time I went up on a turntable ladder which was extended to full height, controlled of course by my father who had serviced it, a very scary moment to remember, swaying around above the Gipton station, proving to me how brave firemen really are, those were the finest days of Leeds City Fire Brigade..

21-May-2012

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Keith Rhind

That 60 foot tower still gives me the shivers. Harry Clayton and I performed a hook ladder demonstration to the top and then were obliged to do the traditional arms free move Secured only by hook and belt Phew

21-Sep-2012

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Ketth Rhind

Further to my comment I was there at the same time as Albert Ward, 'Joe' Moss, Harry Heilds Station Officer was Cyril Pearson Sub Office 'Pop Wilson Chief Officer Dick French lived in nearby fire brigade houses also ADO Shipman

21-Sep-2012

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